Method for forming porous tube

ABSTRACT

A porous filter device is made or formed from a porous membrane which is disposed on a rod and has two edges dependent downwardly from the rod, and the edges of the porous membrane will then be hot-pressed together with such as ultrasonic or hypersonic waves, or high frequency waves or the like to easily and quickly form a tubular or cylindrical and porous filter device. The welded edges of the porous membrane may then be cut and removed from the porous filter device when the porous filter device is supported on the rod or after the porous filter device is removed from the rod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method, and more particularly to a method for easily and quickly manufacturing or forming a filter device, such as a cylindrical or tubular and porous filter device.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various kinds of typical filter devices have been developed and provided for filtering particles, contaminants, organic materials, or the like, and comprise one or more cylindrical or tubular and porous members for filtering purposes, such as for treating water, for filtering organic liquids, such as milk, wine or beer, for removing floating immiscible liquids, for blood fractionation, for effecting hyperthermic treatment, or the like.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,689 to Galaj discloses one of the typical liquid filtering systems comprising two identical filters connected in series and each including a porous tube disposed around a core for filtering purposes. However, the porous tube will suffer high liquid pressure such that the porous tube is normally made of metal and porous material that may not be easily treated or machined.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,467 to Hamlin discloses another typical water purifying and vending apparatus also including a porous tube disposed within a housing for filtering purposes. Similarly, the porous tube will also suffer high liquid pressure such that the porous tube will normally be made of metal and porous material that may not be easily treated or machined.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional filter devices manufacturing or forming methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method for easily and quickly manufacturing or forming a porous filter device, such as a cylindrical or tubular and porous filter device.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a porous filter device, the method comprising preparing a porous membrane which includes two edges, disposing the porous membrane on a rod and having the edges of the porous membrane dependent downwardly from the rod, and hot-pressing the edges of the porous membrane together to form a tubular and porous filter device.

The hot-pressing process includes disposing an anchor beside the rod and engaged with one of the edges of the membrane, and a movable block disposed beside the rod and engaged with the other edge of the membrane for forcing the edges of the membrane together.

The hot-pressing process includes disposing an energy generator in the movable block for heating and welding the edges of the membrane. For example, the energy generator may be provided for generating ultrasonic or hypersonic waves, or for generating high frequency waves or the like.

A cutting and removing may further be provided for cutting and removing the edges of the porous membrane from the tubular and porous filter device. For example, the edges of the porous membrane may be cut and removed from the porous filter device when the porous filter device is supported on the rod or after the porous filter device is removed or disengaged from the rod.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a film or membrane to be made or formed into a tubular and porous filter device with a method in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a prototype of the tubular and porous filter device made or formed with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a tubular and porous filter device made or formed with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded view of a facility for conducting the method in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view illustrating the facility for conducting the method in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is another partial perspective view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the pressing process of the method in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is another partial exploded view illustrating the other facility for conducting the method in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating the operation or the processes of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a method in accordance with the present invention is provided for easily and quickly manufacturing or forming a porous filter device 12, such as a cylindrical or tubular and porous filter device 12 (FIG. 3) from a porous film or membrane 10 (FIG. 1), in which the membrane 10 is first required to be prepared in a process 80 in FIG. 8 and comprises two edges 13 (FIGS. 1-2, 5-6) to be coupled or secured together with such as welding processes, ultrasonic waves, hypersonic waves, high frequency waves, high frequency induction heating, high frequency welding process, etc., in order to form a prototype 11 of the tubular and porous filter device 12. The welded or secured edges 13 of the membrane 10 or of the prototype 11 will then be cut off in order to form the cylindrical or tubular and porous filter device 12 as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, illustrated is a facility 20 for conducting the method in accordance with the present invention and comprises a longitudinal tube or rod 21 disposed horizontally for engaging or supporting the membrane 10 thereon in a process 81 in FIG. 8, and for allowing the edges 13 of the membrane 10 or of the prototype 11 to be dependent downwardly from the rod 21, the rod 21 includes an outer contour or shape, such as an oval or cylindrical or other shape corresponding to the tubular and porous filter device 12 to be formed, and includes an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the tubular and porous filter device 12, in which the inner diameter of the tubular and porous filter device 12 may be ranged from 0.05 mm to 10 mm, or from 0.05 mm to 4 mm, or from 3 mm to 10 mm, according to the requirement or the need of the tubular and porous filter device 12 to be formed.

The facility 20 may further include an anvil or a stationary anchor 22 disposed beside the rod 21 and preferably parallel to the rod 21 for engaging with one of the edges 13 of the membrane 10 (FIG. 5), and may further include a follower or a movable block 23 also disposed beside the rod 21 and preferably parallel to the rod 21 for engaging with the other edge 13 of the membrane 10, and the movable block 23 is movable toward the anchor 22 for compressing or pressing or forcing the edges 13 of the membrane 10 together (FIG. 6) in a process 82 in FIG. 8. A moving means or device 24, such as a hydraulic or pneumatic moving device 24, a motor driven screw device (not shown), a gearing device (not shown), a sprocket and pulley device (not shown), or the like is further provided and attached or coupled to the movable block 23 for moving the movable block 23 toward the anchor 22 and for compressing the edges 13 of the membrane 10 together.

The facility 20 further includes an energy generator or heating device or welding device 25 disposed either in the stationary anchor 22 or in the movable block 23 for generating an energy to heat or to weld and to couple or to secure the edges 13 of the membrane 10 together. For example, the welding device 25 may include an induction coil 26 (FIGS. 4, 6) disposed in the movable block 23 or in the stationary anchor 22 for generating high frequency waves, high frequency induction heating energies, high frequency welding processes, etc. and for welding the edges 13 of the membrane 10 together, or may include a generator 27 (FIG. 7) for generating ultrasonic waves, hypersonic waves, etc. and also for welding the edges 13 of the membrane 10 together.

The prototype 11 is preferably made of Teflon® materials having a number of typical fine perforations (not shown) formed therein for air permeation purposes, and/or having a single or double or multi-layer structure, and the Teflon® materials allows the edges 13 of the membrane 10 to be secured or heated or welded together to form the prototype 11. After the heating or welding or hot-pressing process 82 (FIG. 8), the welded or secured edges 13 of the membrane 10 or of the prototype 11 (FIG. 2) will then be cut off with various kinds of cutting machines or facilities or tools (not shown) in a process 83 in FIG. 8, in order to form the cylindrical or tubular and porous filter device 12 as shown in FIG. 3 and in a process 88 in FIG. 8.

For example, the welded edges 13 of the membrane 10 or of the prototype 11 may be cut off when the prototype 11 is still supported or engaged on the rod 21 or when the prototype 11 is removed or disengaged from the rod 21. Alternatively, the welded edges 13 may also be maintained on the prototype 11 without being cut off from the prototype 11, and the prototype 11 may also be used for suitably conducting the filtering processes. The cylindrical or tubular and porous filter device may thus be easily and quickly manufactured or formed with a method in accordance with the present invention by a simple hot-pressing process and/or a cutting process.

Accordingly, the method in accordance with the present invention may be provided for easily and quickly manufacturing or forming a porous filter device, such as a cylindrical or tubular and porous filter device.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A method for manufacturing a porous filter device, said method comprising: preparing a porous membrane which includes two edges, disposing said porous membrane on a rod and having said edges of said porous membrane dependent downwardly from said rod, and hot-pressing said edges of said porous membrane together to form a tubular and porous filter device.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hot-pressing process includes disposing an anchor beside said rod and engaged with one of said edges of said membrane, and a movable block disposed beside said rod and engaged with the other edge of said membrane for forcing said edges of said membrane together.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hot-pressing process includes disposing an energy generator in said movable block for heating and welding said edges of said membrane.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said energy generator is provided for generating ultrasonic waves.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said energy generator is provided for generating high frequency waves.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising cutting and removing said edges of said porous membrane from said tubular and porous filter device.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said edges of said porous membrane is cut and removed from said porous filter device when said porous filter device is supported on said rod. 